The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1887-03-23
BITTEN BY DOGS.
Many Americans Who Privately Patronize
Pasteur's Hydrophobic Institute.

Many Americans Who Privately Patronize
Pasteur's Hydrophobic Institute.
Surgeon Charles A. Siegfried, of the
United States Navy, has returned from
Paris, where he looked into the Pasteur
system of fighting hydrophobia, with
view to its introduction into Govern
ment hospital in this country. He says
that medical opinions in France differ
as to the efficacy of the NEGOTIATIONS,
but that the records of cases seem to
establish the value of Pasteur's work.
The number of Americans who resort
to Prof. Pasteur's institute is not sus.
pected by their countrymen. Many
make the trip privately, especially if
they belong to well-to-do families able
to pay the expenses without publicity.
Besides, bitten persons are always 10th
to admit their nervousness, and there
fore 60 to Paris ostensibly for pleasure,
while their real errand is to
get inoculated. Pasteur hui
mors their desire for secrecy, and
permits them to register under assumed
names, even when he knows who they
really are, which is by no means al.
ways. A note of introduction from the
American Minister is required, as a
matter of form. No fee is charged, but
voluntary contributions are accepted,
and these go into a fund for the main
tenance of the hospital. Pasteur per.
sonally takes no pay.
A young New York lady who went
through the process assumed for the oc-
casion the name "Marietta Byrne."
Her pet dog had bitten her and then
died in commissions, so that she did not
know for certainty whether or not
she was in danger Of the dreaded
rabies. She rode to Pasteur' house, at
IA Rue Vaquelln, which is an insig-
niticant building in the midst of the
various schools in the Latin Quarter.
She was accompanied by her father,
who presented her credentials and gave
all the particulars of her case to clerk,
who recorded them in big book.
Then size was shown into an anteroom,
and directed how to prepare her.
self for the operation. This consisted
simply in arranging her attire
so that, without delay, the surgeon
could inject the virus under the skin.
Then she was placed in a line with
seventeen other bitten persons, all
women or children, for this day was set
apart for them-men having had the
previous day. All marched into the
room where Pasteur and his assistants
were in readiness. One surgeon stood
beside table on which was a glass jar
containing the protective fluid. Over
the top of this vessel was stretched a
a filtering paper. Beside it lay hypo.
dermic syringe. The man thrust the
sharp, delicate nozzle of this instru-
ment through the paper into the liquid
and filled it in that way, in order that
by no possibility could it be vitiated by
contact with the air. Having thus
charged the syringe, he handed it to
the principal operator, who deity in
serted it obliquely through the skin Of
the patient and quickly injected its con-
tents. 1t was like the puncture of a
needle, and not very painful. The girl
bore it without flinehing, but some OF
the children, as well as the more
ignorant adults, cried and struggled at
1t. She had to return for additional in.
jections during several weeks--M r
Sun